CD business card with container and/or adapter

ABSTRACT

A CD Card for packaging card like information and digital information in the basic dimensions (length and width) of a business, credit or collectors card. The CD Card is made up of one, two, or three major components. The first component is a small compact disc with dimensions small enough to be contained within the typical dimensions (length and width) of a business card, credit card, or collectors card. The second component is a container shaped like a business, credit, or collectors card in length and width, but with a depth large enough to hold the small compact disc and adaptor (if required) discussed subsequently. The third component is an adaptor designed to position the small compact disc of the first and third embodiments of the present invention correctly in standard CD drives. A second embodiment of the small compact disc may not require an adaptor or case. The adaptor also has dimensions small enough to be contained within the typical dimensions (length and width) of a business card, credit card, or collectors card.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/106,857 filed on Mar. 27, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,762,988and incorporated herein by reference, which in turn is a Continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/170,040, filed on Oct. 13, 1998, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,510,124 and incorporated herein by reference, which inturn claims priority from Provisional U.S. Application Ser. No.60/062,408, filed Oct. 14, 1997, which is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of compact disc (CD) datastorage, specifically to a method and apparatus for packaging a smallersize compact disc, or a smaller size compact disc and disc adaptor intoa credit card, business card, or baseball card/collectors card size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It may be desirable to be able to distribute digital information in amedium as widely accepted and easily carried as a business, credit, orcollectors card that can be read or read and written to by a standard CDdrive. For example, Spector, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,561 discusses using aCD-ROM as a baseball collectable (Col. 2, lines 3–10) and provides acase for displaying such collectibles. However, a standard 12 cm CD-ROMis rather large and awkward compared to a standard baseball card,business card, or credit card size format.

It also may be desirable to change the shape of the small compact discof the invention. It is known that a standard 12 cm in diameter compactdisc can be cut (made) to have straight sides and play as a standard 12cm diameter CD. Such a product is presently marketed under the tradename CyberTract™ and is commercially available through the AmericanTract Society and made with the cooperation of DISCART™, LLC, whichclaims copyright to the disc shapes and also claims patents pending.

One such tract, for example, has been marketed using the likeness of thelate Mickey Mantle imprinted onto the face of the device. The device isencoded with text, graphics, and video of the late Mickey Mantlediscussing his religious conversion. The overall appearance (but notsize) of the device is akin to that of a baseball card or collectable,on one side.

The DISCART™ device, however, is made as a cut down (rectangular)version of a standard 12 cm compact disc (CD). This disc maintains the12 cm diameter at four points to align itself in the CD drive. As aresult, the packaged product is larger than a standard baseball card orsports collectable. Thus, products such as the DISCART™ device may notbe as readily acceptable for collectors. Such an apparatus, for example,would not fit within standard baseball card holders, drawers, orshelving.

In addition, while the device appears to play satisfactorily in most CDplayers and CD-ROM drives, after testing the inventor has discoveredthat the device may create some vibrations or noise when played or usedin some CD players or CD-ROM drives. The rectangular shape of the disccreates a slight imbalance or non-aerodynamic shape which may result invibration in some CD players.

Another approach is a CD-ROM card marketed as “The CarD” by ADIVAN HighTech AG, Switzerland (www.adivan.com). The inventor is unaware of thefirst disclosure date of the ADIVAN device, and thus does not representthat the device qualifies as “prior art” per se. However, the device isdisclosed herein under the spirit of the duty of disclosure.

The ADIVAN device is a CD-ROM provided in a number of shapes and sizeswithin a specified range. Four “knobs”, spaced along a 75 mm diametercircle protrude from the underside of card, to align the card in aCD-ROM drive utilizing the 8 cm depressed portion of the CD-ROM drivetray. The presence of protruding knobs may make the card less useful asa business card device, as the resultant card is no longer flat. Assuch, storage devices for business cards, baseball cards, and the like,may not readily accept such a card. The knobs also make the card lessaerodynamic and cause greater vibration. It would also appear to requirea special mold to form the knobs.

One approach to solving such problems might be to use the 8 cm CD of theprior art. It is known that an 8 cm in diameter compact disc made by theSony Corporation is commercially available. The 8 cm compact disc holdsthe same type of information that the 12 cm diameter disc can and isplayable in standard CD drives. Such CD “singles” have heretofore beenused mainly for music applications and the like. However, even an 8 cmCD is too large to fit in a standard baseball or business card sizeformat.

Various adapters are known in the art for attaching to a 8 cm CD toadapt the 8 cm CD for playback on a 12 cm CD player, much as the oldspindle adapters were used to play 45 RPM records on LP turntables.These adapters were designed when CD players did not incorporate an 8 cmaligning circle as they do today. Such adapters were also designed foruse in compact disc cartridges (Caddys) which are very rare today. Theseadapters are still helpful today in playing 8 cm CDs in multi-disccartridges and front loading players. 90 to 95% of CD players used todayare tray loading drive types with 8 cm aligning circles, making theseadapters unnecessary in the majority of CD players.

Yamamori, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,784, issued Jun. 6, 1989, discloses onesuch device. It should be noted that it appears that the device ofYamamori engages the smaller 8 cm disc, thus forming a package which is12 cm in diameter. Although the device of Yamamori may be suitable forplaying back 8 cm discs, the overall structure of the apparatus suffersfrom some drawbacks.

To begin with, the adaptor has a 12 cm outer diameter. Thus, if theadaptor is distributed with an 8 cm disc, the overall package size wouldneed to be at least 12 cm in diameter, or that of a standard CD case(e.g., so-called “jewel box”). It also requires excess handling of the 8cm disc and the possibility of disengagement of the adaptor from thedisc resulting in damage to the disc or the disc drive.

Eihaus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,330, issued Feb. 6, 1990, Published EPapplication 0,331,389, published Sep. 6, 1989, and EP PatentSpecification 0,391,638 published Apr. 19, 1995, all disclose similar CDadapters for adapting an 8 cm CD to a 12 cm format. However, all ofthose devices appear to suffer from the same fundamental limitations ofthe Yamamori device. In particular, the overall size of such adaptersprecludes them from being packaged into a package substantially smallerthan a standard 12 cm CD-ROM. Moreover, such devices appear tophysically attach to the CD-ROM itself.

Yamashita et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,677, issued Oct. 10, 1995,discloses an adaptor for a smaller CD for use in a multi-CD adaptor. Thedevice grips the smaller CD which is then removed from the adaptorlaterally by the playback apparatus. Such a device may not be readilyadaptable to a tray-type CD-ROM player or the like.

Typical CD-ROM drives with opening trays may be provided with adepressed inner portion which may be used to center an 8 cm CD-ROM. Oncethe CD-ROM is placed in this depression, and the tray closed, thespindle of the CD-ROM drive may engage the center hole of an 8 cm CD-ROMsuccessfully and the 8 cm CD-ROM may be read. Without such a depression,the 8 cm CD-ROM may slide about when the tray is closed, and the spindlemay not properly engage, possibly damaging or scratching the 8 cmCD-ROM.

While such a solution may work for an 8 cm CD-ROM, it may not work forother, odd sizes. Given the large installed base of CD-ROM drives, onewishing to distribute a non-standard (e.g., diameter other than 8 cm or12 cm) CD-ROM size, one cannot expect users to buy new CD-ROM driveswith yet a second depression for yet another size CD-ROM.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first embodiment, the present invention may utilize a small compactdisc, smaller than the standard 12 cm diameter CD, that will fit insidea card shaped container (if desired). In accordance with the invention,a CD Card device for packaging digital information in a medium as widelyaccepted and easily carried as a business, credit or collectors cardthat can be read (or read and written to by drives and disc types socapable) by standard CD drives comprises a small compact disc. Thissmall compact disc is smaller than the standard 12 cm in diametercompact disc commonly used today and the 8 cm compact disc referred toin the Background of the Invention Section above.

The small compact disc of the present invention uses the same technology(materials, and data standards) as does the standard 12 cm diameter CDwith the only significant exception being its outside diameter (in afirst and third embodiments) or its shape (in a second embodiment).Also, weight may be added to the small compact disc of either embodimentby adding heavier materials and/or increasing the thickness of someouter areas.

The small CD of the present invention may store any data that is storedon a standard 12 cm compact disc, and be read or read and written to ifso designed, like any standard 12 cm disc so capable. This is possiblebecause all critical information to allow the proper use of a CD iscarried in the innermost part of the area that carries information. Suchinformation falls within the diameter of the small compact disc of theinvention. The small compact disc of the invention requires only properplacement in the standard CD drive to perform properly.

The first and third embodiments of the present invention may require anadaptor to ensure proper placement. This adaptor is discussed in thefollowing paragraph. The second (and preferred) embodiment of theinvention may not require an adaptor to assure proper placement. Bothsmall compact discs, one embodiment of which may be approximately 5.5 to6.35 cm in diameter in the case of the first and third embodiments andthe other having an approximate width of 5.5 to 6.35 cm and a length of8 cm in the case of the second (and preferred) embodiment, will haveless storage capacity than the standard 12 cm in diameter compact disc.

An adaptor is designed for use with the first and third embodiments ofthe present invention. The adaptor is designed to position the smallcompact disc of the first and third embodiments correctly so that itwill be accepted by the CD drive. The adaptor is also stored within thecard shaped container. One embodiment of the adaptor may stretch across(over) the 8 cm disc aligning circle (available with tray loading CDdrives), being kept in position by protruding arc shaped ridges. In thisposition it will align the small compact disc for proper use.

First, the adaptor is placed in the CD drive tray, then the smallcompact disc is placed within it. The adaptor will remain in its initialposition in the tray as the small compact disc is lifted out of it bythe drive mechanism for use. The small compact disc will be returned tothe adaptor by the drive mechanism when the small compact disc is nolonger in use.

The small compact disc of the second embodiment (and preferred) of thepresent invention, when placed in the tray, will be in the properposition as a result of its shape.

A card shaped container may hold the small compact disc in a manner toprotect it from the casual handling that is common to business, creditand collector cards, the type of handling that could damage a compactdisc. It also may hold the adaptor (in the first and third embodiments)used to position the small compact disc. The container permits removaland replacement of the small compact disc (and the adaptor, in the firstand third embodiments) from within the card. The card may be designed todisplay information similar to a credit, business or collectors card onits surfaces.

In its preferred embodiment the CD card may be offered as a digitalcollectors card, for example a baseball, football, or basketball card.It may also be offered as a digital card displaying the common sights atvacation areas to remind vacationers of their trip while using theircomputer. One way in which the information may be displayed is in theformat of a screen saver. The card may also be used as would aconventional business card but with the added dimension of conveyinglarge amounts of digital information to its recipient. There are manypossible uses for the CD Card only some of which are described here.

It is known that in a small percentage of CD drives (less the 5%) alarger adaptor for the first and third embodiments or a newly designedadaptor for the second embodiment may be needed. If it is desired thatthe smaller compact discs be read in those CD drives, a special largeradaptor may be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it willnow be described with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the small compactdisc of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view taken along lines 2—2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the adaptor of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view taken along lines 4—4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the card shapedcontainer of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view taken along lines 6—6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container with the adaptor and smallcompact disc carried inside.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view taken along lines 8—8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a second (and preferred) embodiment of thesmall compact disc of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view taken along lines 10—10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the card shapedcontainer of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-section view taken along lines 12—12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container with the small compact disccarried inside.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section view taken along lines 14—14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the small compactdisc of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a cross-section view taken along lines 2—2 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating an adaptor.

FIG. 18 is a cross-section view taken along lines 4—4 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the card shapedcontainer of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a cross-section view taken along lines 6—6 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating the card shaped container with the adaptor andsmall compact disc carried inside.

FIG. 22 is a cross-section view taken along lines 8—8 of FIG. 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the small compactdisc of the present invention. Disc 100 uses the same technologies,materials, and data standards as does the standard 12 or 8 cm CD, withthe only significant exception being that its outside diameter issubstantially smaller than a typical prior art 8 or 12 cm compact disc.In the preferred embodiment, the disc is approximately 5.5 to 6.35 cm indiameter.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along lines 2—2 of FIG. 1, illustratinga cross-sectional view of disc 100.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an adaptor of the first embodiment of thepresent invention. Adaptor 300 may be substantially “C”-shaped having anouter diameter of approximately 8 cm. Adaptor 300 may be provided withlands 320 which may be adapted to received the disc 100 when it isplaced upon lands 320. Adaptor 300 may also be provided with a ridge310, the function of which will be described below.

Note that adaptor 300, although adapted to approximately 8 cm disccircle, maintains an overall form factor of approximately 8 cm by 6 cm,allowing it to be packaged in a credit card, business card, orcollectible card type packaging. Note that in the case of a businesscard embodiment, a slightly larger than normal business card size may berequired in order to provide sufficient width for data tracks beyond thewidth of the center hole.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of adaptor 300 taken along lines 4—4 of FIG.3. In use, disc 100 may be placed upon lands 320 and the entirecombination of adaptor 300 and disc 100 placed into a CD-ROM drive.Adaptor 300 will rest in the depression of the CD-ROM drive designed foran 8 cm disc. Note that disc 100 merely rests upon lands 320 and lands320 do not in any way necessarily engage or grip disc 100. Once the trayof the CD-ROM drive is closed, the spindle will pick up disc 100 fromits resting surface on lands 320. Adaptor 300 will remain in thedepression formed in the CD-ROM drive after disc 100 has been picked upand engaged by the CD-ROM drive.

When the tray to the CD-ROM drive is opened, the spindle of the CD-ROMdrive will lower disc 100 back onto adaptor 300 and the drive door willopen. Without the use of adaptor 300, the disc may fall through thecenter portion of the drive or become jammed.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the present inventionof the card shaped container 500. Card shaped container 500 may besuitably formed from transparent plastic or the like to allow a user toview the contents including any materials imprinted on disc 100.Alternately, card shaped container 500 may be formed from opaque ortranslucent plastic and/or have indicia printed thereon or printed onlabels applied to the card. Card shaped container 500 may have aninterior opening 520 along with a slot portion 510 which function willbe described below.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the card shaped container 500 taken alonglines 6—6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container 500 with adaptor 300 and smallcompact disc 100 carried inside. FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken alonglines 8—8 of FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the combination ofdisc 100 and adaptor 300 may be suitably slid into card shaped container500. Note that in FIG. 7, the top portion of card shaped container 500is not shown for purposes of illustration. Ridge 310 slides within slotportion 510 in such a manner as to allow a user to easily slide outadaptor 300 and disc 100 from card shaped container 500.

It should be noted from FIGS. 7 and 8 that, unlike the prior art, thepresent invention provides a means by which a smaller disc along with anadaptor may be packaged together into a smaller form factor package.Thus, a user need not purchase an additional bulkier adaptor which doesnot fit into the business card or baseball card form factor. Moreover,the use of a circular disc eliminates any wobble, imbalance, andaerodynamic problems present in prior art rectangular discs.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of a small compact disc 900. Disc 900 may be provided with anominal diameter of approximately 8 cm, but having substantiallyparallel portions 910. The distance between substantially parallelportions 910 may be approximately 5.5 to 6.35 cm. Data may be writteninto that portion of the disc having a diameter less than the distancebetween substantially parallel portions 910. Although disc 900 is notround (as with disc 100), unlike prior art rectangular discs, disc 900is smaller with a greater percentage of the edge of the disc beingcircular and thus making it more aerodynamic, easier to balance, andsimpler to align in the depressed portion (8 cm diameter circle) of thecompact disc reader tray. Disc 900 may optionally be provided withbalancing weights (not shown) in the form of denser or thicker portionswhich may serve to dynamically balance disc 900.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section taken along lines 10—10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container. Card shaped container 1100 maybe provided with an internal portion 1120.

FIG. 12 is a cross-section taken along lines 12—12 of FIG. 11,illustrating the internal portion 1120 of card shaped container 1100.Although not illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, card shaped container 1100may be provided with an opening at one end, or in the alternative, thetop portion may slide open or may be hinged to open much as in a typicalprior art CD-ROM “jewel box” case.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container with the small compact disccarried inside. As illustrated in FIG. 13, disc 900 may be placed withinthe internal portion 1120 of card shaped container 1100. Card shapedcontainer 1100 may be provided with an open portion approximately 5.5 to6.35 cm by 8 cm so as to allow disc 900 to fit therein.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section taken along lines 14—14 of FIG. 13,illustrating a cross-section of the combined apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention of the small compact disc. Disc 1500 is similar for allintents and purposes as disc 100 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is a cross-section taken along lines 2—2 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating an adaptor. The adaptor of FIG. 17 differsslightly from that of FIG. 3 in that the overall adaptor does not haverounded edges. Rather, raised edges 1710 are provided at a diameterapproximately 8 cm across the center of adaptor 1700. Raised edges 1710may rest inside a depressed portion of a CD-ROM drive designed toaccommodate 8 cm discs. Disc 1500 may be carried on adaptor 1700 onlands, such as lands 320 shown in FIG. 3. In the alternative, adaptor1700 may merely center disc 1500 and thus not actually carry or be incontact with disc 1500.

FIG. 18 is a cross-section taken along lines 4—4 of FIG. 17,illustrating the shape of raised edges 1710.

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention of the card shaped container. Card shaped container 1900 maybe provided with an internal portion having dimensions 1910 and 1920being approximately 5.5 to 6.35 cm and 8.5 cm respectively.

FIG. 20 is a cross-section taken along lines 6—6 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating the card shaped container with the adaptor andsmall compact disc carried inside. As illustrated in FIG. 21, cardshaped container 1900 is sized so as to hold both adaptor 1700 and disc1500 compactly therein. Again, although not illustrated in the Figures,card shaped container 1900 may be provided with an opening top or sideportion to allow disc 1500 and adaptor 1700 to slide out or be removed.

FIG. 22 is a cross-section view taken along lines 8—8 of FIG. 21.

While the preferred embodiment and various alternative embodiments ofthe invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it maybe apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form anddetail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopethereof.

1. A combined compact disc and container for use as a business, creditor collectors card, comprising: a compact disc having a diameter betweensubstantially 8 centimeters and less than 12 centimeters, a rectangularcard-shaped container having a minor axial dimension substantially thesame as the diameter of the compact disc, for receiving and storing thecompact disc, and a substantially planar adapter, having first raisedarcuate ridges on one side thereof, the raised arcuate ridges having adiameter substantially the same as the 8 cm depressed portion of acompact disc reader tray, the substantially planar adapter havinginternal portions extending inwardly from the first raised arcuate ridgefor aligning the compact disc in a compact disc reader, thesubstantially planar adapter having a minor axial dimensionsubstantially the same as the minor axial dimension of the rectangularcard-shaped container so as to fit inside the rectangular card-shapedcontainer with the compact disc contained therein, the substantiallyplanar adapter further having an arcuate outside portion so as to restupon the compact disc reader tray.
 2. The combined compact disc andcontainer of claim 1, wherein the arcuate outside portion of thesubstantially planar adapter has a diameter of approximately 8centimeters.
 3. The combined compact disc and container of claim 1,wherein said substantially planar adapter further comprises: secondraised arcuate ridges formed on an opposite side of the substantiallyplanear adapter as the first raised arcuate ridges.
 4. A data storageapparatus for distribution as a business card, credit card, or collectorcard, the data storage apparatus comprising: an optically encodedcompact disc having a diameter between substantially 8 centimeters andless than 12 centimeters, and a substantially planar adapter, havingfirst raised arcuate ridges on one side thereof, the raised arcuateridges having a diameter substantially the same as the 8 cm depressedportion of a compact disc reader tray, the substantially planar adapterhaving internal portions extending inwardly from the first raisedarcuate ridge for aligning the compact disc in a compact disc reader,the substantially planar adapter having a minor axial dimensionsubstantially the same as the minor axial dimension of a rectangularcard-shaped container so as to fit inside the rectangular card-shapedcontainer with the compact disc contained therein, the substantiallyplanar adapter further having an arcuate outside portion so as to restupon the compact disc reader tray.
 5. The data storage apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the diameter of the arcuate outside portion of thesubstantially planar adapter is substantially 8 centimeters.
 6. The datastorage apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rectangular card-shapedcontainer has a minor axial dimension substantially the same as thediameter of the optically encoded compact disc, for receiving andstoring the optically encoded compact disc.